seeds occur in pairs between cone scales (1 pair per cone) and can be useful for identification; when seeds can not be seen easily, cones can be allowed to dry in a paper bag and the seeds shaken loose

red pine cone

white pine cone

Uses:

Use the resin to waterproof articles. Also use it as glue. You can use hardened pine resin as an emergency dental filling or for starting fires. The durable, yet lightweight character of pine wood makes it ideal for raft building. Dense boughs of needles can be used as roof covering on an outdoor shelter. A piece of this dried softwood can be used to construct the fireboard of a bow drill, useful for igniting a pile of tinder. In wet weather, pine needles are denser and less fibrous that grass, which makes them more resistant to moisture, and therefore an excellent source of tinder in bad weather. A section of green twig from this tree can be used as an old-fashioned toothbrush.